Commuter jailed for smashing train window with fire extinguisher

A train commuter smashed a window of an MRT train with a fire extinguisher despite the pleas of a station officer to calm down.

In the video clip viewed in the District Court on Thursday, Ramachandran Kalaivanan, 32, was then seen climbing out of the window with his hands cut by broken glass.

The Indian national had earlier pleaded guilty to committing mischief and causing damage amounting to $8,580.

He was jailed for a week but is appealing.

Ramachandran, a site engineer, has made full restitution for the damage he caused to the train at Paris Ris MRT station at 12.40am on Jul 26 last year.

In passing sentence, District Judge Lee Poh Choo said: "I have considered how essential the MRT train service is to the public and cannot ignore the extent of damage."

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Ong said that Ramachandran, fell asleep and missed getting off at the Bugis MRT station. At the journey's end at Paris Ris station, train driver Mohamad Hermie Amat Sahar, 36, walked through the train to check and found Ramachandran asleep in a carriage.

The commuter started acting disorderly and Mohamad Hermie sought refuge in the driver's cabin and called for help. By then, the Indian national was running inside the train, shouting and kicking at the closed doors.

Mr Lee Kee Leong, 41, an officer with the Land Transport Authority appeared and tried to reason with Ramachandran, who was then smashing the window with the fire extinguisher.

The Straits Times

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